Nova Minerals Corp. announced a $249 million investment from the U.S. Government to complete the final stages of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, providing a key transportation link intended to support the development and movement of critical minerals within the region.

The funding will deliver a new 32-mile rail line connecting Port MacKenzie, Alaska, to the Alaska Railroad Corp.’s main line. Nova Minerals’ direct rail siding at Port MacKenzie will enable shipments of antimony and other critical minerals ore and concentrate feedstock to seamlessly move from the Alaskan interior and the region directly to its planned antimony and critical minerals processing and refining hub at Port MacKenzie via the U.S. new rail extension.

Nova Minerals CEO Christopher Gerteisen joined Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation Sean Duffy, U.S. Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan, U.S. Representative for Alaska Nick Begich, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rep. Bruce Westerman, and Matsu Borough Mayor Edna Devries for the announcement at Port MacKenzie on October 19.

“Nova Minerals will directly benefit from the speed and efficiency enabled by the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, with our planned antimony processing and refining facility situated directly along the extension rail line. These infrastructure developments are creating the foundations needed to support future critical minerals and mining projects across Alaska,” Gerteisen said. “Upgrades to the ports, roads and power throughout the Mat-Su region mean projects like Nova’s Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals site can get into production cheaper and faster.

Nova Minerals CEO Christopher Gerteisen (left) with Senator Dan Sullivan (right) at the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension funding announcement in Port MacKenzie, Alaska, October 19, 2026. (Photo: Nova Minerals)

“Upgrades to port, transportation and power infrastructure across the Mat-Su region are helping create the conditions needed to advance major resource projects, including Nova’s Estelle Gold and critical minerals developments, which has been a first mover and established itself as an anchor industry within the commercial industrial zone Port district,” he continued. “Nova’s antimony facility will form part of the U.S.’s first modern, secure, fully integrated antimony supply chain in decades – from mine to end users in defense, technology and other advanced applications supporting both national and economic security.”

The award covers around 80% of the $311 million project, with state and local partners contributing the remaining $62 million. This commitment is the latest in a series of infrastructure investments in the region, including $7.8 million to enhance the port’s capacity for barge haul-out and loading operations, a $34 million investment to support the expansion of the port, multi-billion funding commitments by Asian offtake partners to advance the Alaska LNG project recently announced by the Trump administration, and progress accelerating with funding, permitting and studies completed in support of near-term development of the West Susitna Access Road Project, which ties into Nova Minerals Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project.

“Alaska has enormous deposits of critical minerals, world-class energy projects, and a strategic location at the crossroads of the world. But having these resources isn’t enough. We need the infrastructure to develop them responsibly and get them to market,” Senator Sullivan said. “We are going to move this grant at Trump speed. What that means is we want to get this out by spring. We want to be turning dirt. Alaska is America’s natural resource powerhouse, but the state needs strong infrastructure to get those resources from point A to point B safely, reliably and efficiently.

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